Ginny Weasley A Gryffindor and a Match for Harry

by Tim Lambarski

In her essay
Ginny Weasley, Why?
published on The Harry Potter Lexicon
in October 2003, author Water Witch presented a surprisingly astute evaluation
of the importance of Ginny Weasley —
surprising because, although the article was written after the publication of
Order of the Phoenix,
it predated Half-Blood
Prince. Even though Rowling finally defines Ginny’s personality in Order of the Phoenix,
there are few indicators, though they do exist, that she will become
Harry’s
sweetheart. Water Witch claims JKR continually misdirects our attention from
Ginny in the earlier novels while suggesting Ginny’s significance from her very
first scene, claiming that Ginny running after the train (PS6) is a “pseudo
lover’s scene” taking place as it does in a train station, a traditional
trysting place and alluding to where JKR’s parents met.

If we had possessed JKR’s
knowledge of characters from the beginning, we might have perceived another
indicator right from the start. Harry is an example of the “prince in hiding”
seen in many legends and fantasies such as Taran in
The Prydain Chronicles,
Shasta in The Horse and His Boy
and, of course, King Arthur.
[1]Harry, like
Arthur, is “The Chosen One,” the child of destiny. As Arthur was the only one
who could pull the sword from the stone, so Harry is the only one who could
pull the could pull the Sorcerer’s Stone from his pocket. Having been informed by JKR on her website that Ginny is short for Ginevra, not Virginia, we have only to note
that Ginevra is Italian for Guinevere to realize that, as Guinevere was meant
for King Arthur, so Ginny is the only one fit to be Harry’s queen.
[2]

Rowling has developed Ginny’s character
slowly through the books, giving her a personality that makes her a fit match
for Harry. Below I trace how JKR has accomplished this, and conclude with some
possibilities for developments related to Ginny in Book Seven.

Ginny in Books One Through Six

Ginevra is both a Weasley and a
Gryffindor:
courageous, talented and mischievous. In the first three novels Rowling throws
us some red herrings which suggest Ginny is a shrinking violet, a lovesick
teenager or an easily duped victim. However, if we remember that Rowling admires
mystery writer Dorothy L. Sayers, and has undoubtedly learned some lessons in
misdirection, a more careful reading of these books uncovers Ginny’s
inquisitiveness, daring and sense of humor.

When we first meet Ginny in
Philosopher’s Stone
she begs to go to Hogwarts
with her brothers even though she is not old enough, and wants to jump
on the train to see Harry for herself (PS6). Besides Water Witch’s notes on
the romantic import of the train station scene, we should mark the significance
of the fact that Ginny is the first of the Weasley children to speak when she
tells her mom the number of the train platform: “‘Nine and three-quarters!’
piped a small girl, also red-headed . . .” (PS6). We see that she has a mind
of her own in spite of (or perhaps being the cause of) her mother’s protective
attitude toward her. Rowling is throwing us some red herrings — showing her
holding her mother’s hand and crying when the train leaves (PS6) — not
wanting to bring her forward too soon. We do not see Ginny again until the end
of the book when she shouts, “There he is, Mom, there he is, look!” (PS17).
Here we see again her high spirits and curiosity. It is not until later that
she becomes shy and embarrassed with Harry.

While in PS Ginny only appears
in 4 pages[3], she arrives on the scene early in Chamber of Secrets, and has her largest role in the first four
books: Ginny appears in 33 pages out of 341. Although she is bashful with
Harry, blushing and clumsy, she is described as having “bright brown eyes” (CS3).
We should remember that whenever Rowling describes something when Harry is
present, we are meant to see through his eyes. In the next paragraph, Ron
quips, “You don’t know how weird it is for her to be this shy. She never shuts
up, normally. . ..” Again, the elbow in the butter, the porridge knocked off
the table, the blushes and inability to speak (CS4) — all are red herrings.

Ginny needs the insulting
remarks of Draco to bring forth her true colors. When Malfoy claims that Harry
is always making the front page, she bursts out, “Leave him alone, he didn’t
want all that!” (CS4). It is the first time she speaks in front of Harry, and
is rewarded by Malfoy calling her Harry’s girlfriend. Her outburst shows that
she understands Harry in a way that we would not expect. Obviously, she has
been observing him and contemplating his situation.

Even though she is to play a
major role in the conclusion of this story, Rowling keeps her in the
background, allowing her to come on stage for brief scenes in only eight pages
until setting up the final confrontation by approaching Harry and Ron at
breakfast on that fateful day as she tries to confess her involvement in the opening
of the Chamber of Secrets (CS16). In Chamber of Secrets, Rowling has set up a connection
between Harry and Ginny by making her the only other student of their time to
be confronted by Riddle/Voldemort and experience the Dark Lord inside her head.

It is worth noting Harry’s
attitude toward Ginny in Chamber of Secrets. Throughout the novel he is sensitive to her
feelings. He talks to her at the Burrow; ignores her clumsiness, and speaks
quietly to her when she comes to them with her fears. If we see Ginny as a
shrinking violet at Hogwarts, we must remember that she is a first year student
(Harry, Ron and Hermione were unsure of themselves in their first year), and
that she has been possessed by Riddle. Dumbledore says, “Older and wiser
wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort” (CS18).

In Prisoner of Azkaban, Rowling puts Ginny in the
background again. She is mentioned in only 15 pages. However, there is a subtle
change. Mum is still being protective, not letting her go into an Egyptian tomb
(PA1), but this is not surprising in view of her near escape from death only
two months earlier. And although she seems “heartily embarrassed” when she sees
Harry in the Leaky Cauldron (PA4), we also see her giggling with her Mum and
Hermione (PA5), and then catching Harry’s eye as they laugh together over Percy
(PA5).

On the train JKR makes a
connection between Harry and Ginny after the Dementors’ attack. Harry asks if
anyone was affected as badly as him. Ginny, “huddled in her corner looking
nearly as bad as Harry felt, gave a small sob,” and Ron says, “Ginny was shaking
like mad . . .” (PA5). Perhaps she was affected more than the others because
the Dementors were able to pull out the memories of her possession by
Voldemort.

Later in the book, we find she
is still interested in Harry when she summons the courage to give him a singing
card in the hospital (PA10). However, Rowling squashes any further thought
along this line by leaving Ginny out almost entirely for the final 252 pages of
the book. In my reading, I only saw her name once during this stretch when she
reproves Fred for his insensitivity about Scabbers (PA13).

In Goblet of Fire, Rowling brings Ginny out early, starting in GF5. Ginny
is in many of the scenes at the Burrow and at the World Cup though we see her
mostly in the first part of these sections and very little during the last
part. We first see Ginny coming down to the kitchen with Hermione, implying
they are friends. She turns scarlet when Harry smiles at her, indicating she
has not yet gotten control of her feelings for him, but when they all go up to
Ron’s room, she joins in the conversation. We also learn that she has named
Pigwidgeon, indicating she has intelligence and a sense of humor (GF5).

After this, we see less and less
of her. Though she goes to the Quidditch World Cup, she is not with the dynamic
Trio when they walk around the grounds before the match or afterward during the
incident with Winky and the Dark Mark. She is seen very little after they
return to the Burrow and not involved in any of the scenes on the train.

Ginny does not turn up again
until GF22 when she reports that Ron asked Fleur to the Yule Ball. They discuss
the ball and when Ron suggests Harry go with Ginny, they learn that she has
already agreed to go with Neville. She leaves looking “extremely
miserable.” It is to Ginny’s credit that she does not jump at the chance and
dump Neville. She shows character in being true to her word. After the ball we
do not see Ginny again for 200 pages. She joins the family for lunch when Bill
and Mrs. Weasley come to visit Harry as substitute-relatives (GF31). It is
perhaps a foreshadowing that Mrs. Weasley thinks of Harry like a son. She is
even cold toward Hermione until Harry makes it clear that Hermione is not his
girlfriend as Rita Skeeter has reported.

When Ginny arrives on the scene,
she has a new agenda. She says hello to
Harry “brightly” and
immediately joins in the conversation
(OP4). Notice that she has
waited until Harry has finished
his tirade with Ron and Hermione, but unlike Fred and George, who chided Harry,
she simply says, “I thought I heard your voice.” It is as if he is just another
friend. As we learn much later, she has been counseled by Hermione, who says
Ginny gave up on Harry months ago. “‘Not that she doesn’t like you, of course,’ she added kindly to Harry. . ..” (OP16).

As always, Ginny is sensitive to
Harry’s feelings waiting until he has finished his tirade and not bringing it
up. Later, she is able to defuse another potential tirade when she interrupts
him: “‘We know, Harry,’ said Ginny
earnestly” (OP4). The observant reader will notice that her attention is always
on Harry. Just one of many examples occurs after Ginny catches the Snitch
against Hufflepuff. She plays down her achievement and tells Harry she would
rather be a Chaser once Harry gets back. When Harry moans about his lifelong
ban, she says it will only last while Umbridge is there (OP26). An earlier
example is when Ron and Hermione have to leave Harry on the train to go to the
prefect’s compartment. Ginny, perhaps sensing Harry’s disappointment,
immediately suggests they look for a compartment themselves (OP10) even though
she is seeing Michael Corner (OP17).

In this book Rowling makes clear
the strong connection between Harry and Ginny as the only two who have had
Voldemort inside their heads. After the attack on Mr. Weasley when Harry is
loathe to see his friends or express his worries about being possessed, Ginny
confronts him. “‘Well, that was a bit stupid of you,’ said Ginny angrily,
‘seeing as you don’t know anyone but me who’s been possessed by You-Know-Who,
and I can tell you how it feels’” (OP23).

One of the major themes in Order of the Phoenix is
the unfolding of Ginny’s character. Rowling takes great pains to reveal the
true Ginny over the course of the book. In OP4, Ginny tells them she tossed Dungbombs
at the kitchen door (mischievous, resourceful). In OP6, George says size doesn’t
matter; look at Ginny’s Bat-Bogey Hex (talented, spunky). Again in OP6, she shuts
the enchanted music box (sensible, coolheaded). In OP10, she cleans the Stinksap
with a Scourgify spell (skillful). In
OP16, she says, “Hem, hem” in imitation of Umbridge (sense of humor, good
mimic). In OP18, she suggests the name “Dumbledore’s Army” (intelligence,
insight), and is seen to be “doing very well” at D.A. (talented, quick
learner). In OP26, Hermione says Ginny had been breaking into the shed since the
age of six to use the twins’ brooms to practice Quidditch (resourceful,
plucky). In OP29, she says she learned from Fred and George that anything’s
possible if you’ve got the nerve (courage, optimism). In OP32, she agrees to
help Harry in the plan to contact Sirius (eagerness, enthusiasm), and is later
seen trying to kick the shins of her captor after being caught (fearless,
defiant). In OP33, she will not be left behind (bravery, determination).

It is amusing to speculate why
she waited until Cho had left the train compartment to clean the Stinksap off
Harry. She is dating Michael Corner and does not seem to be jealous of Cho. She
informs Cho of the first D.A. meeting (OP18) and later consoles Harry saying,
“I’m sure if you just talked to Cho .
. .” (OP29). But she has not totally “given up” on Harry, so, she does not mind
if Cho sees him in a less than perfect light.

Rowling has introduced us
gradually to Ginny’s true character to prepare us for her inclusion in the
episode at the Ministry. Although Harry contemplates that, if he could have
chosen anyone to help, he would not have chosen Neville, Luna and Ginny (OP33),
they have actually shown themselves quite competent in their D.A. lessons and
the most dedicated of the D.A. members. That Ginny’s character has been the
most fully developed of the three indicates her importance in Rowling’s designs.
She, like the others, deports herself well at the Ministry refusing to be left
in the corridor as a guard (OP34), keeping a cool head (OP34), and displaying
grit and determination after her leg is broken (OP35).

This whole episode is
reminiscent of both the Gospels with their message that the weak are used to
confound the mighty, and The Lord of the
Rings where the seemingly weak — the Hobbits and the woman Eowyn — are the
ones that save Middle Earth.

All six “musketeers” are
together in the hospital wing as Hermione reads the Daily Prophet (OP38).
Ginny, whose “ankle had been mended in a trice,” relates intervening events to
the patients, and gives astute observations on the conditions of Filch and
Umbridge (OP38). But the Trio has not become a sextuplet; Harry thinks only of
telling Ron and Hermione about the prophecy he heard from Dumbledore (OP38). He
is not ready to include Ginny or the others in the core group.

On the train to HogwartsHarry
asks Ginny to sit with him, but she declines saying she has promised to sit
with Dean (HBP7). I think she knows instinctively that she will get further by
not being too anxious, by not standing someone up for Harry and by letting him
taste a little loneliness. Harry, on his part, felt a “twinge of annoyance as
she walked away” and notices “her long red hair dancing behind her.” He has
grown used to her presence and has forgotten that she did not hang around with
the Trio at school. It rather reminds one of Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady admitting “I’ve grown
accustomed to her face.”

Another example of Harry’s
growing affection for Ginny, though he is still unaware of it, occurs when he
smells the love potion in class. Among other things he likes, it reminds him of
a flowery smell he remembers from the Burrow (HBP9). As Hermione points out,
Amortentia smells differently to each of us “according to what most attracts
us” (HBP9). Later, Harry catches a waft of the same flowery smell when Ginny
comes up behind him (HBP9).

Rowling keeps Ginny in the
picture as the story progresses. She is usually shown in a favorable light
before Harry as when she is the best at Quidditch tryouts scoring 17 goals (HBP11).
But JKR has her doing other things to keep her in the picture: playing with
Arnold, her Pygmy Puff (HBP11), delivering Dumbledore’s letter to Harry (HBP12),
practicing with the team (HBP14), and playing against Slytherin (HBP14). Later,
Rowling has Luna complimenting Ginny to Harry, saying she has been nice to her
stopping two boys from calling her Loony (HBP15).

Meanwhile, Harry begins to be
aware of his feelings for Ginny. Harry asks her to go to Hogsmeade with them,
but she begs out saying she is going with Dean. When he does not see her there,
he wonders if she is getting cozy with Dean at Madam Puddifoot’s Tea Shop, and
scowls (HBP12). Later, he has a sinking feeling about putting Dean on the team.
When Harry and Ron come across Ginny and Dean kissing behind a tapestry,
“something large and scaly erupted into life in Harry’s stomach,” and Harry
wants to “jinx Dean into jelly.” During the heated argument that ensues between
Ron and Ginny, Harry sides with Ron in his mind wanting the relationship
stopped. He tries to tell himself he is indignant because he thinks of her as a
sister, but he is not convinced. He pictures himself kissing her and Ron getting
angry at him. Harry can not get her out of his head when trying to sleep (HBP14).

Harry’s affection for Ginny continues
to grow but he continues to be unsure of his feelings. After the Quidditch
match when Ginny collides with the podium collapsing it around Zacharias Smith,
Harry and Ginny hug, but he lets go very quickly. Later, when he bumps into
Ginny, and she says “Good game,” and pats him on the arm, he feels a “swooping
sensation in his stomach” (HBP14). Then, with Slughorn’s Christmas party looming,
Harry says there isn’t anyone he wants to invite while still trying not to
think about Ginny, but she keeps cropping up in his dreams (HBP15). And back at
the Burrow for Christmas, when Ginny picks a maggot out of Harry’s hair, he
feels “goosebumps erupt up his neck that had nothing to do with the maggot” (HBP16).

By the time they return to
school, Harry apparently no longer has any doubts that his feelings for Ginny
are not brotherly. From here, Rowling starts moving events more quickly in the
development of their relationship. When she goes off to see Dean, Harry thinks
she does not sound enthusiastic (HBP17), and when in the hospital Ron tells him
Ginny visited while he was unconscious, his “imagination zoomed into overdrive”
envisioning a scene with Ginny weeping over his body and confessing her deep
attraction for him (HBP19). Then, when Hermione tells him that Ginny has argued
with Dean, “the drowsing creature in Harry’s chest suddenly raised its head,
sniffing the air hopefully” (HBP20). Harry has thoughts about using Felix
Felicis to win Ginny (HBP22). Finally, when Hermione tells Harry that Ginny and
Dean have broken up, Harry’s insides are suddenly dancing the conga (HBP24).
But he is still waging a debate in his mind about how Ron would take it if he
and Ginny started seeing each other (HBP24).

Now Rowling really has the ball
rolling — or the Quaffle flying — and it is zooming toward the goal. After
Ginny’s breakup with Dean, she becomes the life of the practice (HBP24),
imitating Ron and Harry on the pitch, and Harry is glad to have an innocent
reason to look at her and laugh. But the battle still rages in his mind — Ron
or Ginny? Talking to her, laughing with her, walking with her from practice, he
worries that someone else will ask her out. In his mind he agrees with Ron that
she is too popular for her own good (HBP24). He hopes that winning the next
Quidditch match will mean winning Ginny, too (HBP24). In fact, that is exactly
what does happen, but not in the way expected. Harry misses the game because of
his detention, but Gryffindor wins anyway with Ginny at Seeker. After the game,
in what is probably the most anticipated scene to date, Ginny runs toward Harry
with “a hard, blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And
without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that
fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her.” Ron gives a head-jerk that
means, “Well — if you must” and the
creature in Harry’s chest roars with triumph (HBP24, emphasis in original).

The next few weeks are pure
bliss for Harry and Ginny, but we know the bliss cannot last. There are the
Horcruxes and Malfoy’s plotting that will soon bring disaster. Before Harry leaves
with Dumbledore, he gives the Felix Felicis to Ron and Hermione telling them to
call up the D.A. and share the potion with Ginny (HBP25). He knows that Ginny
will respond to the call and he wants her safe. When Harry runs into the tower
after Snape, Ginny is fighting the lumpy Death Eater and dodging his hexes (HBP28).
Harry stops just long enough to jinx him. The potion seems to be working for
Ginny. When the fighting is all over and Harry is numb beside Dumbledore’s
body, it is Ginny who lifts him up and leads him away. He is aware of her only
because of a trace of flowery smell (HBP29). Rowling has said in an interview
that Ginny is a very strong character, and we see that here once again. She is
strong enough to tell him what happened to Bill (HBP29). Bill is perhaps her
favorite brother. We have previously seen her defending Bill’s ponytail on two
occasions and once hugging him before getting on the train. She is also the one
who tells Ron that Dumbledore is dead and then whispers to Madam Pomfrey to
“Shh” when she hears the Phoenix song (HBP30). In this time of shock, she seems
to be the one most in control.

The happiness for Harry and
Ginny fully ends when, after the funeral, in a scene reminiscent of Peter
Parker trying to protect Mary Jane from the consequences of being Spiderman’s
girl, Harry likewise tells Ginny they must stop seeing each other. Harry knows
that Voldemort would use her to get to him, and though she is not afraid, he
makes her realize he could not bear to see her hurt. Ginny tells Harry she knew
he would not be happy if he was not hunting Voldemort, and maybe that’s why she
likes him so much (HBP30).

Going back to HBP29 to one of the most
touching scenes in the whole series we find that Fleur’s love for Bill and the
depth of her character have been misjudged by all. Ginny had been especially
critical of Fleur, and is stunned to see her mom and Fleur crying and hugging
each other (HBP29). We discover perhaps for the first time that Ginny is not
perfect. Rowling, perhaps taking a page from one of her favorite authors Jane
Austen, is showing that Ginny Weasley, like Elizabeth Bennett in Pride and Prejudice, has been guilty of
prejudice and self-deception. Far from diminishing Ginny’s worth, the episode
builds her character bringing her more maturity as she accepts Fleur as her
beloved brother’s future wife (HBP29).

A few other observations are in
order. First, Harry has not told Ginny about the Horcruxes. This is consistent
with his wanting to protect her and prevent her from being used by Voldemort.
Second, the fact that Ginny uses the name Voldemort when saying Harry will hunt
him (HBP30) again attests to her courage, common sense and connection to Harry.
She is not afraid to say his name; she has encountered Voldemort herself and
lived through it. Finally, Ginny confirms what Harry had learned earlier
through Hermione: that Ginny had backed off from Harry-worship, tried to date
others and become more herself with Harry. But she had never stopped liking him
(HBP30).

Ginny in Book Seven

If anyone is still thinking that
Hermione is in love with Harry and is the one for him, her actions in
counseling Ginny and her knowing smiles when Harry is showing interest in Ginny
should dispel all such hopes. What will happen in the final installment of the
series, we can only guess. Rowling will not hide Ginny again; she has become
too important. And what Harry and Ginny feel is not the puppy love Harry and
Cho had. Harry and Ginny are well matched and their young age makes little
difference. There is precedence for young love in the wizarding world — after
all, children come of age at seventeen. Harry will be 17 and Ginny 16 in just
two months. Both James and Lily Potter and Arthur and Molly Weasley fell in
love while still in school.

In the final confrontation, I do
not think Jo will take the easy way out, imitating hundreds of other story
lines, by putting Ginny in peril for Harry to save. I could be wrong, of
course, but Jo does not often do things in the usual ways. And she has already
used that card when Harry tried to save Sirius. I think, though, that Ginny
will have an important role to play in Voldemort’s demise. Rowling herself has
said that, as the first female Weasley in several generations, she can be
expected to be a talented witch.

Although some have postulated
Harry may have to die in defeating Voldemort, I think everyone prefers that
Harry live happily ever after; for some it’s with Ginny, for others with
Hermione. And some prefer a Harry, wiser and mature, with no one at his side
but looking expectantly toward the future. We will not all be satisfied, but
until the last book is released, we can all indulge our favorite fantasies.

[1] Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings is also a “prince-in-hiding,”
except that he is an adult and knows who he is.

[2] Let us not take this analogy too far. Rowling does not parallel the
plots of older stories, but only uses them for symbols and allusions.
Therefore, there is no reason to believe that Ginny will be unfaithful to Harry
as Guinevere was to Arthur. After all, Ginny chose Harry from the beginning,
unlike Guinevere who was betrothed to Arthur before they met. Note also that
Eilonwy, Aravis, and Arwen were never unfaithful.

[3] I will list the number of pages she appears in each book. My count
may vary from others because I have counted pages only when her name is
mentioned or she has some lines or actions. Therefore, although she may be
present in a lengthy Common Room scene, if she is mentioned only once, I have
counted that as only one page. There are a few exceptions. For example, in the
scene when they discover Gilderoy and Neville at St. Mungo’s, Rowling has
included Ginny as a fourth with Harry, Ron and Hermione; therefore, she is
integral to the whole scene even though she is not mentioned on two of these
pages.